Cameron Smith Eyes Unique Record To Etch His Name in Golf’s History Books

The 2022 Fortinet Australian PGA Championship, the DP World Tour co-sanctioned event, has only one more round to finish before getting their winner. After three rounds, the Australian-born Cameron Smith is leading the tournament. And if he wins, the LIV Golf defector will be part of the history that not many are part of. 

The current world no. 3 golfer has a three-shot lead against the Royal Queensland GC field. If he ends up victorious after the Sunday round, Smith would be making tournament history. 

He will become one of the few to win three times on the Australian PGA Championship. He will also become only the fourth in forty years to win the title three times in a row they participated. 

Notably, Cam Smith won the event in 2017 for the first time with an overall score of 270 after a playoff. Meanwhile, he hoisted the Joe Kirkwood Cup in 2018 with an overall 272. 

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The other three golfers who had achieved the same feat as Smith are Peter Senior, Peter Lonard, and Robert Allenby (four). Notably, Peter Lonard was part of the Queensland-based golf course field. However, after scoring 5-over par 147 in the first two rounds, the golfer couldn’t advance to the final two rounds. 

What will Cameron Smith earn if he wins the 2022 Fortinet Australian PGA Championship? 

It is the first time in three years the tournament is being regulated by the DP World Tour. The Australian PGA Championship returned as a Tour co-sanctioned event as part of its strategic alliance with the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia. According to it, the tournament will be played under the European Tour until 2026.

One of the merits of such an alliance was an increase in the purse money. While last year the purse was 1 million AUD, the sponsors have offered twice the money this year, 2 million AUD. As a result, Cam Smith can earn $340,000 if he wins.  

As the 150th Open Championship, and other multiple title winners, including the Chicago LIV Series event, Cam Smith’s main priority wouldn’t be the prize money the tournament offered. But he will be more interested in collecting the winner’s share of the OWGR points of the event. 

Notably, the player won’t get any OWGR points from the LIV Golf Series for the next season too. If that is the case, Smith would want to earn as many points from the events that let him play. Or else, he will too have to go down the OWGR standings like other LIV golfers soon. 

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Do you think Smith can win the 2022 Fortinet Australian PGA Championship?